Gear-forming machine.



H. N. ANDERSON GEAR FORMING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-B, 19H.

will/II Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. N. ANDERSON.

GEAR FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.a. 19H.

1 24mm 8 PatentedSept, 25, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' 25% W (ll/ 1 H. N. ANDERSON.

GEAR FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-8.19M.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

ESHEETS-SHEET 4.

H. N. ANDERSON. GEAR FORMING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-8| 19H.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5- H. N. ANDERSON.

GEAR FORMING MACHINE. APPLIFIATION FILED AUG.8;I9H.

Patented Sept. 25,1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

LQQBD a sane ran" an;

HAROLD N. ANDERSON, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASM@NOR"TO THE ANDERSON ,ROLLED GEAR COMPANY, OF OLEVELANQ, OHIO, AI CORPORATION OF OHIO.

GEAR-FORMING MACHINE.

. ea ers.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 191i 7..

Application filed August 8, 1911. Serial No. 643,010.

1 5 Ohio,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear-Forming Machines,

of which the following is a full, clear,.and

exact description.

My v invention relates to machines for forming gear teeth by rolling theface of a gear blank against a toothed member, pressing the blank and said member together with sufiicient force to cause the teeth of the toothed member to sink into and form teeth on the blank. In Patent Number 1,001,799, issued August 29, 19-11, I showed and described a machine whereinthe toothed mem-' bar was circular; in the present application a machine will be shown and described in' which the toothed member is in the form of a rack bar. In either style of machine, an .important factor in the attainment of accuracy in the gears thereby formed is fixed speed ratio between the toothed member and the blank; 6., the lineal velocity of the imaginary line on the blank, which, when it has becomea finished gear, will be known as its pitch-line, must be equal to the pitchline velocity of the toothed member from the time the operation of forming the teeth .-is begun until it is completed whatever the condition of the blank may be when the I tooth-forming operation begins: for example, the, blank may have been previously as ferred to the speed ratio was not quite fixed, although it was substantially so, and one of the objects. of my present invention is to character, fixed speed ratio may be mtained between the toothed member and the 1 blank, thereby maintaining synchronous 're- 3 member and those on the blank. fliisjli efore stated, a machine is shown and described in this application in which a rackbarl isfiised .for'formingthe teeth. A ma chinei-aof-thisltype may be so constructed .lations between the teeth on the toothed- 45.

' rack bar; or arectilineally moving rack bar the teeth are'formed. by pressing therack bar and bl together, conporous treated by other suitable mechanism. In the construction shown in the patent reprovide means whereby, in machines of this Q that theblank is rolled along a stationary with characteristic relative movement of each;"z'. e., rectilineal movement of the rack bar'with reference to the blank, and 'rotary movement of the blank with reference to the rack bar. Generically it is immaterial which method is employed, so I have illustrated but one, that of.a stationary rotating gear and a rectilineally movable rack bar.

One of'the advantages of forming gear teeth by the rolling process is that teeth so formed are more dense, and consequently more durable than teeth formed by other methods. In the mechanism hereinafter described, which will be referred to as the machine, provision is made for separating the rack bar and the blank at intervals, and while separated to change their relative positions in such a way that when they are again brought together the teeth of the rack .bar will act upon other teeth on the blank than those they last acted upon. By this 7 means unequal treatment of the teeth, if the I effective length of the rack bar is notexactlydivisible by the circu ference of the blank, is avoided; furthermore the effects of inaccuracy or imperfections in the rack bar are thereby neutralized, and gears of remarkable accuracy produced;

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine,-showing-the first operation being per: formed on a blankthat of notching it with the break'ng-down rack bar.

Fig. 2 a view from the same point, with some portions removed.

Fig. 3 is 'aaection on line 3*3 Fig. 1,, some parts being removed.

Fig. 4 is a plan.

Fig. 5 is, an end elevation.

Fig. dis a transverse section onlines 66 66 Fig. 4. S

Fig. 7 is a detail of construction. a

Fig. 8 is another front elevation, but with the carriage at one end of its stroke;

Figs. 9 to 15 inclusive are details of the mechanism for rotating the blank while the tooth-formin rack bar is disengaged.

Figs. 16, 1% and, 18 are views of the machine which was shown in the patent abovereferred to, save that the construction IS modified so that the speed ratio between the b'lankand the die-roll shall be fixed.

Similar numerals refer-to similar parts throughout the several views.

The base 25 carries two pairs of parallel 110 vertical guides 26, each pair being connected by a yoke 27 which carries a set screw 28 and jam-nut 29. A bearing 30 is mounted to slide vertically between each pair of guides 26 and carry a shaft 31; suitable collars preserve the correct longitudinal position of this shaft. Each bearing has a depending boss 32, which is threaded to receive one end of a right and left screw 33. The lower ends of the screws screw into bosses formed on the base 25. Each screw carries a pinion 34, which is enmeshed with an intermediate gear 35. frame 36 has apertures through which the screws 33 pass, the pinions 34 being confined within the frame; this frame acts as a support for the gear 35 and carries a suitable shaft upon which the gear rotates. The altitude of the shaft 31 can be adjusted by r0- tating the gear 35, and when so "adjusted it can be maintained by screwing the set screws 28 down on the bearings. i

The shaft 31 protrudes at one end beyond its bearings and is turned down to form a shoulder 40. A gear 41 and sleeve 42 are fixed on the reduced portion of the shaft; the key 43 and a set screw, which is not shown, unite the shaft, gear and sleeve into a rotatable unit. A stud 44, threaded at its outerend, is fixed in the end of the shaft. A bush 45, having'a flange 46 at one end, is threaded to fit the stud 44. The other end of the bush is threaded-to receive a nut 47; o the threaded parts of the bush and the nut have each a key way. The bush is inserted in the central aperture of a disk 48, after which the nut 47 is screwed on the-bush, brought to a point where the key ways register and a key inserted. The end of the sleeve 42 is .made slightly conical, and the portion adjacent thereto is threaded; a

threaded ring 49 is screwed onthe sleeve.

for a purpose to be hereafter explained. v

. The base 25 has a forwardly projecting "extension 60 carrying a rectilineal guide 61.

A carriage 62 is mounted upon said guide and adapted to slide freely thereon, ai-

though havingsubstantially no lateral play.

' Bearnfgs 63, carried by the base 25, have journaled therein the shaft 64 which car- 65 length and its ends parallel, the platform is ries a fly-wheel 65 and'a pulley 66; the shaft 'and' fly-wheel are rotated by means not shown. Reciprocating motion is imparted to the carriage by a pitman 67 one end of which is attached .to the fly-wheel and the other end to a vertical plate 168 rigidly attached to the carriage 62. I j A shaft 70 is rigidly mounted in each end of the carriage, and projecting at each 611d beyond the carriage the ends of this shaft form studs on which are journaled guide blocks 71. A platform 72 has depending end members 73 having parallel opposed faces; the carriage 62 being the necessary A rectangular adapted to set down over the carriage and move up or down freely, but without end play. A rock-shaft 74 is journaled in each member 73, and onv one end of each of these a short arm 75 is rigidly secured. The free ends .of these arms have rectangular openings which embrace the guide blocks 71. A lever 76 'is'rigidly secured to the other end of each rockshaft 74; these levers extend toward each other and one of them carries a stud 77 and a roller 78.- Eachlever 76 has nection which is not shown. When the lower part. At each strokeof the carriage the roller is carried approximately the full length of the slot and returned; therefore .the platform is elevated during the greater part of the stroke and dropped for a brief period at one end thereof. The object of this will be explained presently.

Near each end of the platform a' worm gear 90 is rotatablymounted upon a vertical axis; a shoulder screw 91, journaled in the.

platform, screws up into the gear and forms a. pivot' upon which the gear revolves. A

screw '92 extends upward from each gear and screws intoa slide-rest 93; each slide-rest has a transversely disposed guide 94 on which one end of a rack 'bar carrier 95 slides.

The carrier 95 has a vertical rib 96,"on each side of which lies a rack bar; bolts pass through one of said racks and therib 96 and screw into the other rack, thereby securing both racks firmly to the carrier 95. The lateral position of the carrier is maintained by a pair of links 97 attached to lugs on the carrier 95. g The other ends of the links are attached respectively to levers 98 and 99,- which are in turn rigidly secured to a rockoperation of which will be readily 'understood by reference to Figs. 5 and 6. The

worm gears are simultaneously rotated forthe purpose of raising or lowering the rack bars by worms 101 secured to shaft 102; the shaft is journaled in lugs 103' and is turned shaft 190; the shaft rocks in bearings formed with a hand wheel 104. While the rack bar 106, mounted in a lug carriedby one of the guides 1.05, limits the upward movement of the rack bars by engaging a lug, 107 project ing from one of the slide rests 93. The objeot of this will be explained later. I

A rack bar 110 is formed on the upper edge of the vertical plate 68; or, as is preferable, the rack may be formed on a separate piece and attachedto the plate. A vertical strip,111 is attached toone end of the plate 68 (see Figs. 9 to 14) by screws 112; slots in the strip permit it to move. up and down Within limits indicated by Figs. 13 and 10 respectively A spline formed on the plate 1 68, fit ti ng into a groove in the strip, supplements the guidingffunction of the screws. A slightly raised pad 113 is formed on the base 25, on'which a lever 114 lies; the lever is pivotally attached to the base at 115 and is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 11 .by a spring 116. The free end of the lever is oblique, and toward the latter end ofthe movement of the carriage in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 10 the lower end of the strip 111 engages this oblique end of the lever and cams it to one side, as in Fig. 9.

It will be observed that the free end of the otted end; the thick and the thin parts of the lever are united by an inclined part 117. The stroke of the carriage carries the strip 111 pastthe thick portion of the lever 114,.

'- and as soon as this occurs the spring rejstores the lever to its normal position. As the carriage returns, the incline 117 cams the- I strip 111 upward into the position shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

. The gear 41 is rotated backward and forward by the rack. 110 as the. later reciprocates. When the rack passes out of 'enmeshment yvith the gearleaves the gear in the position shownin Fig. 9, the last tooth in the rack bein ithe one to place it in that position. It will e noted that the rack leaves the gear at a time when the pitman 67 is "about to. pass over the dead center; there-v gear are movingso slowly gear remaining just where the rack left it. After the as to insure the the last tooth inpitman passes over the center and the caring in the gear being advanced-one tooth riage starts back, the strip 111'is lifted as in Fig. 13 and its upper. end, which has been given the form of a gear tooth, enters the space in the gear, just vacated by the last" tooth of the rack, Acting as a tooth it ro-. tates the gear slightly and brings the next space into position to receive the said last tooth, now the first tooth, of the rack, resultwith reference torthe rack; in like manner the gear is inade to advance 'onetooth at each stroke of the carriage. In Fig-15 the strip is made wide enough ftorarry three teeth, which W111 cause the gear to'advance three teeth at each stroke of the carriage.-

Obviously, the number of teeth in the strip may be varied to suit the requirements.

g. The operation of the machine will now be described: By means of the gear 35 the gear. 41 is enmeshed to the proper depth in the rack 110, the set screws 28 screwed down to the bearings and the jam nuts 29 ti htenedv A gear blank, preferably heate is clamped between the-end of the sleeve 42 and the face of the disk 48 by screwing the bush 45 onto the stud 44. By reference to Fig. 1 .it will be seen that the rack bars carried by the carrier 95 have diflerent shaped teeth; the breakin down rack, 120,

has V shaped teeth, and the finishing rack, 121, has'standard teeth.'- Assuming that the carrier has been drawn forward,'as inFig. 5, as soon as the blank is in place the {flywheel is started to rotating; as the carria e moves backward and forward, rotating t e .gear 41 and the blank, the rack bars 120 and 121 are lifted by means of the hand wheel 104 and its associated mechanism, .bringmg the breaking down rack bar into contact with the blank. The automatic raising and lowering of the platform and all the parts time the gear is being advanced by the strip 111. When the desired effect has been pro ducedby the breaking-down rack the carrier is lowered by a reverse movement of'the hand wheel 104, 'shiftedby the lever 99 so as to bring the, finishing rack into line with the .-blank, and againraised by turning the hand wheel; the carrier is then gradually raised, accompanied by the reciprocal movement of the carriage. till the teeth. on the blank have attained the proper depth. The

set screw 106 should be set to check the upward movement of the carrier whenthe teeth hav'eattained their proper dimensions.

When. the blank is finished the machine stopped and the blank removed. It will'b e' observed that the edge of the disk 48 is bevsr eled thereby converting a portion of the disk into acone similar to the conical end of the sleeve 42. l he conical portion of the disk has'more t'aper than that of the sleeve 42.

By the time ablankis,finished the rolling and pressure it has been subjected to will have caused its overhanging portions to .cling very closely to the beveled portions.

of the sleeve and disk. and it will cling tgifihtest to the one having the least taper.

enthe bush'45isunscreWed-the flange46 forcibly draws the disk 48 away from the sleeve 42 the sleeve having taper than the disk 48 the'blank' will cling to it, while are . the tooth-forming operation; therefore, since the depth of enmeshment of the rack 110 and gear l-l is constant, and the tooth-forming racks are incapable of longitudinal displacement with reference to the rack 11.0, it is clear that the lineal velocity of the blank is equal to that of the racks, and therefore to that of their pitch-lines As the effective length of the tooth-forming rack may not equal the circumference of the blank, certain parts of the blank may receive more or less treatment than other parts. By.advancing or backing the blank with reference to the tooth-forming rack one or more teeth at each stroke of the rack; i. e., changing the relative lineal position of their pitch-lines, all parts of the blank will untimately receive equal treatment.

Whether the blank should be advanced one,

or more teeth at a strokedepends upon con ditions, and is a matter to be determined by the operator. From the foregoing it will be seen that the length of the tooth-forming rack is of no particular consequence, and the same one maybe used to-form teeth on gears of various diameters. It is necessary, however, to change the gear 41 for different sizes of blanks, as the pitch-diameters of each must be the same. 2

The mechanism shown in Figs. 16, 17 and 18 will now be described: Shafts 200 and 201 are rotatably mounted in bearings carried by bed plate 202; each shaft has rigidly secured thereto a gear 203, which are connected together by an intermediate'gear 204. Shaft 200 carries a toothed roller 205, called hereinafter the breaking-down roller, and

. shaft 201 carries a toothed roller 206, called hereinafter the finishing roller.

The breaking-down and finishing rollers are rigidly secured to their respective shafts. A plate 207 lies upon the bed plate 202 and is pivotally secured thereto at 208. A shaft is journaled in a bearing carried by plate 207, on one end of which provision is made for mounting a blank, substantiallyvthe same as has been described in the rack bar machine.

A gear 209 is rigidly secured to the other end of the shaft and enmeshed with a gear 210 rigidly secured to shaft 201. The axis of'the pivot 208 is in line with the point where the pitch-circles of gears 209 and 210 touch (see Fig. 17, which is a section through line 17-17 Fig.18). Referringto Figs. 16 and 18 it will be seen that the axis of the pivot 208 is in line with one edge of gear 209. Obviously, the plate 207 can be swung on the pivot 208, from the position shown in Fig. 18 to the position shown in Fig. 16, without varying the distance between the axisof gear 209 and. the axis of the pivot 208; therefore, the depth of en- ,meshment of gears 209 and 210 at the side lying upon the axis of the pivot does not vary when the plate 207 moves, from which it follows that the speed ratio between the blank and the finishing roller is fixed Whether the blank is enmeshed with it, with the breaking-down roller, or is anywhere between those extremes. Furthermore, since the shafts 200 and 201 are geared together, the speed ratio between the blank and the breaking-down roller is also fixed. As will be readilyunderstood, the plate 207 is moved to and fro between Lheshafts by the hand wheel 211 which operates the screw 212 carried by the tapped lug 213 on the base 202. Adjustable stops 21 t and 215 limit the movement of the plate 207. Bolts 216 in the plate 207, sliding in slots in the base, prevent the plate lifting up, although affor ding free lateral movement.

When in operation the machine is driven by means which is not shown, acting upon the shaft 201. A blank is placed in the machine, and by means of the hand wheel it is pressed against the breaking-down roller; .havingreceived sufficient of that treatment it is brought over into engagement with the finishing roller. From what has already been said it is obvious that the lineal velocity of the pitch-line of the blank is the same as that of the rollers during the entire toothforming operation.

It will be observcdthat in the first machine the blank-remains stationary while the die (the rack) approaches it, while in the latter mac ine the die-roll is stationary and the blankanovable. It is immaterial which moves, the die or the blank, or whether they both. move. The essential thing, that which causes the die to form the teeth, is relative movement of approach between the blank and die; that is, movement whereby the pitch-line of the die and that of the blank are made to approach each other.-

The contour of a tooth formed in my machine is the product of relative movement of the die and blank and the form of the die, and evidently, the spaces between the teeth on the blank are quite different in shape from the die teeth. This method of forming gear teeth; 2'. e., causing a tool to form the teeth by virtue of its motion relative to the blank, is called generating, and the principle has been known for many years.

- So far as I know, however, the nearest approach to a practical application of the principle has been in what are known as generating gear cutters, in which a cutting aaeogeie tool is given the required movement relative to the blank, concurrently with an independthe addendum; 7;. 6., the portion of the tooth exit movement enabling the tool to cut away the metal and form teeth on the blank. As the cutting is intermittent, and as relative movement of the'tool and blank occurs between each cut, the surfaces of the teeth are made up of facets arranged in a curve approximating the theoretical curve. Rolling affords continuous instead of intermittent operation on the blank teeth. That is, from the time a die tooth enters until it leaves a space in the blank it acts continuously on the adjacent teeth. By maintaining such relative movement between'the blankand die as will be required of the finished blank with reference to a gear it meshes w1th; e. g., by maintaining fixed velocity ratio, the teeth on the blank will be adapted to run at fixed' formed There is a diflerence betweenthe action" of the rack 121 and the roller 206, though the pitch-line velocity of each equals thatv velocity ratio with another correctly gear, or with the die itself.

of the blank it is acting on. In the latter outside of the pitch-circle, travels faster than the pitch-line of the blank. This is particularly true of the ends of the die teeth,

while in the rack alllparts of a tooth move at the'same velocity. In other words, in one the addendum-line is longer than the pitch-line, while in the other they are equal. For this reason if the original diameter of the blank equals its pitch-diameter the end of the rotary dietooth will drag metal along the periphery of the blank in the direction in which it' is moving, while the rack tooth will not iTo remedy this and insure that teeth formed with the rotary die will not have seams in them the blank ma be made enough larger than the pitch circ e to make its peripheral velocity equal that of the die. In rolling gears the material displaced below the pitch line about'equals-the material contained in the addenda, and-there will be practically no excess metal in a blank whoseoriginal diameter equals its pitch-diameter. To avoid excess material in a blank whose diameter is greater than that of its pitch circle the blank may be made proportionately thinner. Asthe increase required in the diameter of the blank is inversely pro portional to the diameterof thedie, a die ofllarge diameter is advantageous.

The portion of a gear tooth outside of the pitch-line is called its addendum and the portion inside or below the pitch-line is called the dedendum. In an ordinary or standard gear tooth the. addendum and dedendum are equal in length; a. 6., the pitch lineidivides thelength of a tooth into two equal parts. As previously explained, there is an imaginary circle on the blank whose diameter 1s the same asthat of the pitchcircle of the ear41. If when the rack finishes the ormation of the teeth on the blank its pitch-line just touches this circle the teeth will be standard; thatis, their addenda and dedenda will be equal. If movement of approach ig suspended before 'the 'pitch-line' of the tooth-forming rack reaches the pitch circle. of the blank, the addenda of the blank teeth will be longer than their dedenda; if the itch-line of the rack goes beyond, inside of the pitch-circle of the blank the dedenda'of the teeth formed on the blank will be longer than their ad denda'. By means ofthe set screw 106 the blank; viz'.,' in a straight line perpendicular to the axis of the blank, the teeth are symmetrical from the time they begin to assume form until they are finished. This is not the case in the machine shown in Figs. 16, 17

and 18. In this machine, because ofthe arcual motion of the blank as it approaches the die-roll, the portions of the die-roll teeth nearest the pivot 208 act on the blank first, and the development of this side of the blank is in advance of the development of This inequality is never the other side.

great and eventually vanishes, but not until theLaxes of the die-roll and blank become par llel.

It is to be understood that the term blank does not necessarily mean that it is without teeth. It is still a blank after the breaking down operation is complete, The

breaking down process, moreover, may be.

continued sufliciently long and be sufficiently complete as to require only a smoothing action of the finishing member, and if desired, the gears may be allowed, to cool before being subjected to the finishing action. Ma nta ning uniform speed ratio while finishing the gears not only insures their remaining accurate but it alsoaflordsmeans, within reasonable. limits, of correctin inaccuracies. For example, gear s which liave become slightly inaccurate in hardening may be mounted on one of my machines and restored to the correct form. In this operation it is manifest from the foregoing that at first some teeth will contact, while 1 others will not. Maintaining uniform speed ratio by means independent of the gears ha ing finished is therefore essential to insur the said gears being: made accurate. 1st:

'ingw' h the gear but partially enmeshed with t e t othed member they may be movedtowaro each other as the finishing progresses. Having shown and described my invention, and modifications thereof, what I claim is as follows:

1. In a gear rolling machine, means for supporting a rotating blank, a toothed member for rolling teeth on the blank, means for producing relative movement of approach between the blank and toothed member contemporaneous with and for the purpose of rolling said teeth, and means for maintaining equal velocity at the pitch lines of the blank and toothed member while the teeth are being formed;

2. In a gear forming machine, in combination: means for supporting a rotating gear blank; a toothed member adapted to form teeth on the blank, and means for pressing the blank and toothed member together for the purpose of forming said teeth; and means for separating the blank and the toothed member at intervals during the tooth-forming process'and changing the relative lineal position of their pit'ch-lines,. whereby, when they are again pressed together, the several teeth on" the blank will be acted upon by differentteeth on the toothed member. l

3. In a gear forming machine, in combination: means for supporting a rotating gether for the purpose of vforming said teeth; and means for changing the relative lineal positions of the pitch-lines of the toothed member and the blank at intervals during the-tooth-forming operation, whereby after each such change, the several teeth on the blank will be acted upon by differefit teeth. on the toothed member.

4. In a gear'forming machine, in combination: means for supporting a rotating gear blank, a toothed member adapted to form teeth on the blank, and means for pressing the rotating blank and toothed member together for the purpose of forming said teeth; means for separating the blank and the toothed member at intervals during the tooth-forming process and changing the relative lineal position of their pitch-lines, whereby, when they are again pressed together the several teeth on the blank will be acted upon by different teeth on the toothed member; and means for maintaining, while the toothed member is acting 60 upon the blank, equal velocity at the pitchlines of the blank and the toothed member.

' 5. In a gear rolling machine, means for supporting a rotating gear blank, a toothed member for rolling teeth on the blank,

means for producing relative movement of ,gear blank, atoothed member adapted to gear blank; a toothed member adapted to approach between the blank and toothed member contemporaneous with and for the purpose of rolling said teeth, and means for maintaining synchronous relations between the teeth on the toothed member and the teeth on the blank while saidteeth are being formed.

6. In'a gear forming machine, in combi; nation: means for supporting a rotating form teeth on theblank, and means for pressing the blank and toothed member together for the purpose of forming said teeth; and means for separating the blank and the toothed member at intervals during the tooth-forming process and changing the relative linear position of their pitch-lines, whereby, when they are again pressed to,- gether each efl'ectivetooth in the tooth forming member will enter a space in the blank a predetermined number of spaces removed from the one last vacated thereby.

7. In a gear forming machine, in combination: means for supporting a rotating gear blank; a rack bar; and means for pressing the rotating blank and rack bar together, whereby to form teeth on the blank.

.8. In a gear forming machine, in combination: means for supporting a rotating gear blank; a rack bar; means for pressing the rotating blank and the rack bar together to form teeth on the blank; and means whereby the tangential displacement of the rack barwith reference to the pitch- 106 line of'the blank, due to the rack bar and blank being pressed together, shall be at a' velocity equal to the pitch-line velocity of the blank.

9. In a gear forming machine, in combi nation: a longitudinally movable rack bar; means for supporting a rotating gear blank ina fixed position with reference to the said direction of movement of the rack bar; and means for pressing the rotating blank and 114; the rack bar together to form. teeth on the blank.

10; In a gear. forming machine, in combination: a ldngitudinally movable rack-bar; rotatable means for supporting a gear blank .5 in a fixed position with reference to the said direction of movement of the rack bar; means for pressing the blank and rack bar together .to form teeth on the blank; and means for imparting to the rack bar and the blank supporting means the relative motion necessary for the tooth-forming operation.

11. In a. gear forming machine, in combination; a longitudinally movable rack bar and rotatable means for supporting a gear blank in a fixed position with reference to the direction of movement of said rack bar; means for pressingi the blank and rack bar together to form the teeth on the blank;

' necessary for the tooth forming process, and

1 means whereby said relative teeth on the blank, and

at a fixed speed 'ratio.

12.-Ina gear forming machine, in combination; a rotatable gear, means forsu porting a gear blank so it will rotate in unity. therewith, and a rack bar enmeshed with said gear; a rack bar adapted to form means for pressing the second rack bar and for the purpose. of forming said teeth; and means whereby the rack bars" shall be immovable, longi'tudinally, with reference to each other.

13. In a gear forming machine, in combination: a rotatable 'gear and means for supporting a gear blank so it willjrotate in unityv therewith; a rack barenmeshed with said gear andla rack bar adapted toform teeth on the blank, said rack bars being immovable, longitudinally, with reference to each other; and means for producing relative movement of approach between the tooth-' forming rack bar and the blank, contemporaneous with characteristic relative movement of the rack bar and the blank, whereby teeth are formed on the blank, said movement of approach being efi'ected without varying the depth of enmeshment of the first'rack-bar and its gear. a '14. In a gear forming machine, in combination: a rotatable gear and means for su porting a gear blank so it will rotate in unity, therewith; a rack bar enmeshed with said gear and a rack bar adapted to form teeth on the blank, said rack bars being ar- ,ranged to move longitudinally as a unit; and .means for producing relative movement of approach between'the tooth-forming rack bar. and the blank,;contemporaneous with longitudinal movement'of the rack bars and rotary movement of the gear and blank, said movement of approach being effected without varying the depth ofenmeshment of the first rack bamand ts gear..

- 15. ha gear forming machine, incombiporting a gear blank soit will rotate in unity therewith; a rack bar-enmeshed with said gear and a rack bar adapted to form teeth on the blank, said rack bars being arranged to move longitudinally as a and means for moving the tooth-formlng rack bar toward theblank-contemporaneous' with longitudinal' movement of the rack bars without'varying' the depthof 3 of the first rack bar and its gear.

and rot ry movement of the gear and blank, said movement of the tooth-forming rack bar .toward' the blank bemgi effected enmeshment '16. In a gear forming machine, the combination of means for .sgipporting a rotating gear blank,a breaking down bar a motion shall be the blank together (the. blank together 0 rack means whereby the for pressing together to finishing rack-bar, and means either rack barand' the blank form teeth on the blank.

In a gear forming machine, in combination: a rotatable gear and means for sup-v porting a gear blank so it will rotate in unity therewith; a rack bar enmeshed with the gear; a breaking down rack bar and a finishing rack bar, each adapted toform teeth on the blank, each of said rack barsbeing immovable, longitudinally,- with reference to the others; and means for pressing each tooth-forming rack bar and the blank together to form teeth on the blank,

18. In a gear forming machine, in combination: means for rotatably supporting 'a gear blank; a rack bar, means for -imparting reciprocating longitudinal movement I thereto, and means for pressing it and the aforesaid blank "together, thereby forming teeth on the blank. v 1?. In a gear forming machine, in combinatlon: means for rotatably supporting a gear blank;"a"breaking down rack bar, a finishingrack'bar and means for imparting reciprocating longitudinal motion to both; and means for pressing either rack bar and to form teeth on the blank.

20; In a gear forming machine, in combination: means for rotatably supporting a gear blank; a rack bar means for imparting lon itudinal reciprocating motion to the bar and oscillatory motion to the blank, the pitchQ-line velocity of the rack bar and blank being equal, and means for pressing the blank-and rack bar together to form teeth on the blank.

nationfmeans for rotatably supporting a a gear forming'machine, in combigear blank; a breaking down rack bar and a finishing rack bar;

means for imparting longitudinal reciprocating motion to the rack bars and oscillatory motion to the blank, the pitch-line velocity of the blank being-equal to that of the rack bars; and means for pressing the. blank and either rack bar together to form teeth on the blank. v v .22. In a gear forming machine, in combination: a longitudinally reciprocating rack bar and a rotatably mounted gear enmeshed therewith means for rotatably supporting a:

gear blank and for causing it to oscillate about its own axis, but as if it and the gear were aunit; a rack bar arranged to reciprocate lon 'tudinally said rack pressingysaid rack 'bar and blank. together, thereby to form teeth on the blank; and depth of enmeshment of said first rack bar andits ear, shall beinvariable while the other rac bar is'forming teeth 'on the'blank.

a 23, Ina gear forming machine, in combiv 'asif it and the aforear were a unit, and 'means for and rack bar at intervals and means for changing their relative positions, thereby causing the teeth of one to engage difi'erent teeth on the other after each such change; means for rotatably supporting a gear blank and for causing it' to oscillate about its own axis, but as if it and the aforesaid gear were a unit;.a rack bar arranged to reciprocate longitudinally as if it and the first rack bar were a unit, and means for pressing said second rack bar and the blank together, thereby to form teeth on the blank; means whereby the depth of enmeshment of said first gear and its rack bar shall be invariable while the other rack bar is acting upon the blank: and means for separating the blank and the tooth-forming rack bar at intervals,

.topermil' the aforesaid change in the relative positions of the gear and the first rack bar.

2+. In a gear forming machine, in combination: a rack bar. a gear enmeshed therewith. and means for producing reciprocal characteristic relative movement between them, said movement in one direction being sufficient to carry them quite apart; means for retiring one or more teeth, in the rack bar when its relative movement is in one (:lireetion, and restoring said teeth when the movement is in the opposite direction, Whereby, when'the rack bar reengages the gear, its fixed teeth will engage other teethon the gear than before; means for supporting a gear blank so that it will oscillate about its own axis, but as if it and the aforesaid gear were a unit; a rack bar arranged to reciprocate longitudinally as if it and the first rack bar were a unit; and means for pressing the second rack bar and the blank together, while the first rack baris en- 1 meshed with its gear, thereby to form teeth on the blank.

25. In a gear forming machine, in combi-. nation: arack bar, a gear enmeshed therewith, and means for producing reciprocal characteristicrelative movement between them, said movement in one direction being sufiicient to carry them quite apart; means for retiring one or more teeth in the rack bar when its relative movement is in one direction, and restoring said teeth when the movement is in the opposite direction,

whereby, when the rack bar reengages the and. means for separating them while the first rack bar and its gear are separated.

26. In a gear forming machine, in combination: a rotatable support for a gear blank, means for fixing a blank thereto, and agear rigidly secured to said support; a rectilineally movable carriage and a rack bar secured theretoparallel with its line of movement, and enmeshed with said gear; means for imparting reciprocating motion to said carriage; a tooth-forming rack bar carried by the carriage, said rack bar lying parallel with the aforesaid rack bar and opposite the blank; and means whereby the toothforming rack bar maybe moved toward and pressed against the blank to form teeth thereon.

27. In a gear forming machine, in combination: a rotatable support for a gear blank,

means for fixing a blank thereto, and a gear rigidly secured to said support; a rectilineally movable carriage and a rack bar secured thereto parallel with its line of movement, and enmeshed with said gear; means for imparting reciprocating motion to said carriage; a pair of tooth-forming rack bars, one for breaking do'wnand one for finishing, carried by the carriage, said rack bars lying parallel with the aforesaid rack bar; means for moving the tooth-forming rack bars laterally so that either of them can be placed opposite the blank; and means whereby the tooth-forming rack bars may be moved -toward and either of them pressed against the blank to form teeth thereon. 28. In a gear forming machine, in combination: a rotatable support for a gear blank, nieans for fixing a blank thereto, and a gear rigidly secured to said support; a rectilineally movable carriage and a rack bar secured thereto parallel with its line of movement, and enmeshed with said gear; means for imparting'reciprocating motion to the carriage, said motion being of sufiicient extent to cause the rack bar to move quite out of the gear, and means for revolving said gear somewhat ,before the rack bar renters, whereby the teeth of the rack bar will engage difl'erent teeth on the gear from those last vacated; a tooth-forming rack bar carriedbythe carriage, parallel with the aforesaid rack bar and opposite the blank; means 29. In a gear forming machine, in combination: a rotatable support for a gear blank, means for fixing a blank thereto, and

a gear rigldly secured to' said support; a

rectilineally movable carriage and a rack the gear they will engage other teeth than "those last engaged; a tooth-forming rack bar carried by the carriage, parallel with the aforesaid rack bar and opposite the blank;-

means for moving the tooth-forming rack bar with reference to the carriage and forc ing it against the blank to-form teeth thereon, and independent means for withdrawing the tooth-forming rack bar from the blank while the other rack bar is out of the gear, 1 thereby permitting the rotation of the gear bythe added teeth as aforesaid.

30. In a gear forming machine, in combination: a longitudinally reciprocating rack bar and a rotatably mounted gear enmeshed Itherewith; means for separating said gear and rack bar at intervals and means for changing their relative positions, thereby causing the teeth of one to engage different teeth on the other after each such change;

means for rotatably supporting a gear blank and for causing it to oscilliate about its own axis, but as if it and the, aforesaid gear were a unit; a rack bar arranged to reciprocate longitudinally as if it and the first rack bar were a unit, and means for pressing the. second rack bar and the blank together, thereby to form teeth on the blank; and automatic means, independent of the means for pressing the-rack bar and blank together for separating the rack bar and blank at the time when the gear and the first rack bar are separated. 31. In a gear forming machlne, in combination: means for supporting a-rotating gear blank;\a rack bar; means for presslng the blank and rack bar; together, whereby to form teeth upon the blank; andmeans for temporarily separating the rack bar and blank 'at intervals during the tooth-forming eperation and changing the relative lineal positions of their. pitch-lines, whereby, when they are again pressed together, the several teeth on the blank will be acted upon by different teeth on the rack. bar. o 32. In a gear formingmachine, in combination: a breaking-down rack bar, and a finishing rack bar; means for supportlng a rotating gear blank; means for- DI'GSSIHO either one of the rack bars and the blan together for the purpose of formlng teeth on the blank; and means separating the blank and the rack bar at intervals during theztooth-formlng opera- 35 tion and changing the relative lineal posi-l for temporarily tions 7 of their pitch-lines, whereby, when I they are again pressed together the several teeth on the blank will be acted upon by different teeth on the rack bar.

33. In a gear forming machine, in combination: means for supporting a rotating gear blank; a rack bar; means for pressing the rack bar and the rotating blank together for the purpose of forming teeth on the blank; and means for separating and reeng-aging the rack bar and blank at intervals during the tooth-forming operation.

.34. In a gear rolling machine, means for supporting a gear blank, a toothed member, means for producing relative movement of approach between the blank, and the toothed a member and contemporaneously imparting motion to the toothed'member whereby to roll teeth on the blank, and means whereby, while formation of the teeth proceeds, synchronous relations are maintained between the teeth on the toothed member and those on the blank.

35. In a gear rolling machine in combination: rotary means for carrying a gear blank the teeth on which have been partially formed, a toothed member enabled by rolling engagement therewith to finish the teeth on said blank, means for producing relative movement of approach between the blank and toothed membercontemporaneous with and for the purpose of finishing said teeth, and means for maintaining synchronous relations between the teeth on the toothed member and the teeth on the blank while said teeth are being finished.

36. In a gear rolling machine, in combination: rotary means for carrying a gear blank having partially finished teeth, a toothed member enabled by rolling engageinent therewith to finish said teeth, means for producing relative movement of approaoh between the blank and said toothedmemben-for the purpose of'bringing their respective teeth into contact, and means for maintaining synchronous relations between the teeth on the toothed member and those on the blank as they approach each other,

whether the teeth are in contact or not and regardless of the condition of the teeth on the blank. 7

38. A machine tor generating teeth ongears, comprising a support for a gear blank, a forging tool, and means whereby the tool '10 blank'relative to the gear it meshes with.

39. A machine for generating teeth on gears, comprising a support for a blank, a rolling tool, means whereby the tool is caused to roll teeth on the blank having a curvatur which is the product of the shape,

of the t c1 and relative movement of the tool and blank, and means for maintaining invariable relative movement of the tool and blank while the teeth are generated. 40. A machine for generating teeth -on ears, comprising a support for a blank, a orging tool, means w ereby the .tool is .caused to forge teeth on the blank having a ;curvature whichis the product of the shape of the tool and relative movement of the tool and blank, and means for maintaining in-' variable relative movement of the tool and blank while the teeth are generated.

41. A machine forgene'rating gear teeth, comprising a support for a blank, a forgin 'too l and means whereby the tool is caused .to. forge teeth. on the blank having a contour which is the roduct of the shape of the tool and invaria le relative movement of 85 the tool and blank.

42. In a gear rollin machine, means for supporting a gear rblan a die-member whose pitch-line and addendum-line are equal, means for pressing the die-member and 4o'blank' together, and means for contemporaneously imparting relative movement wher'ebygto-bring the die-member intoprogresslve engagement with the blank andorm teeth thereon. 43. In a gear rolling machine, means for supporting a rotating gear blank, a diember whose pitch-line and addenduml1 ne are equal, and means for pressing the die-member and'rotating blank together to form teeth on the blank.

A machine for generating teeth on gears, comprising a support for a' gear blank, a generating tool capable. of acting c.ontinu-' ously, means for impartin relative movement of ap' roach between t e blank and tool concurrent y with the same relative movement between them as will be required between the blank and the gear it mates with,

whereby the tool is caused to generate teeth' on the blank, and means independent of the blank and tool for maintaining the latter .relative movement.

' 45. A machine fro generating teeth on gears, comprising a support for a gear blank,

05 a generating tool capable of acting simultaneously on theentire width of the working face of the blank, means for imparting rela tive movement of approach between the blank and tool concurrently with the same relative movement between them as will be ing the latter relative movement.

. 46. In a gear rolling machine, means for supportinga blank, 3, toothed member for: rolling teeth on the blank, and means for rolling teeth on the blank with said member, Whose addenda and dedenda have any desired length. a V a 47. In a gear rolling machine, means i'or supporting a blank, a toothed die for rolling teeth on the blank, means for rolling the blank and die together while-preventing lineal advance or retrogression of the pitchline of the die with reference to the prospective pitch-line of the blank, and means for producing relative movement of approach between the blank and die, saidv 00 means being adapted to continue the movement of approach until said pitch-lines have attained-any desired relative position, even until they have passed and are receding from each other. a

48. In a gear rolling machine, means for supporting a blank, a toothed die whose pitch-line and addendum-line 're equal, means for rolling the blank and dib together so that there is neither lineal advance nor 1 retrogression- 6f the pitch-line of the blank "with referenceto the prospective pitch-line of the blank, and means for producing relative movement of approach between the blank and die, said'means being adapted to continue the movement .of a proach until saidpitch-lines have attained any desired relative position, even until they have passed and are receding from each other.

49. In a gear rolling machine, a support for a tooth-forming die, a support for a blank means for producing relative movement between said supports whereby to effect rolhng engagement between a die carried by one and a blank'carried by the other, means for producing relative movement of approacli between said supports, wh'ereby to ress the die teeth into the blank, said means ing adapte to continue the movement of approach unti the teeth of the die have been sunk to a predetermined'dep'th in theblank, and means for maintaining synchronous relatidns between the die teeth and the devel oping teeth on the blank.

50. In a gearrollingf'machine, a support for a tooth-forming die, a support for a blank gear, means for producing relative movement between said supports wherebyto cause the die and .a blank carried bythe holder roll against each other, and means, 13.0

1,240,9'13- I mm.

.for producing relative movement of aphave attained any desired position with refroach between'the die and support, whereerence to the blank. y to press the die teeth into the blank and In testimony whereof I aflix my signature form teeth thereon, said means effecting said in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

5 movement of approach without otherwise a1- HAROLD N. ANDERSON.

tering the relative positions of the die and Witnesses: support, and being adapted to continue the J. B. IIAYWARD,

movement of approach untilthe die teeth F. K. FASSETT. 

